I’ve noticed recently a number of people either posting blogs or making updates on Facebook about x # of days of gratitude. I decided this morning to start this project myself since I do in fact have much to be grateful for.

To start off, today I’d like to say that I am grateful for indoor heating.

For the last 3 days we have had no heat due to the oil supply running out. Since the house I’m currently working in is a 16th century house, it has no insulation between the walls and the room, just the thin fabric of the building materials used in those days, obviously with layers of paint from various house maintenance projects 😉

The heating went off on Wednesday during the night and by morning the house was cold, but still had a residue of warmth. So extra layers on and dragged the electric radiators out the garage, and ordered more oil.

But due to a lack of communication the oil supplier didn’t realise we had actually run out of oil. So the expected delivery for yesterday didn’t transpire. Instead we just got colder and colder. My client is in his 80’s and pretty immobile so it was really difficult to keep him warm. Hotties warmed up in the micro and piles of blankets along with extra layers kept him cosy for the rest of the day and last night.

I had 2 layers on for bedtime last night plus an extra blanket, the electric radiator on and the cat sleeping on top of my bed for warmth. I woke up in the early hours to this unusual weight on my stomach and there he was….clever little boy. LOL

our Charlie sleeping on my legs before lights out last night 🙂

But the cold was seeping in through the walls and I could feel the draught of icy cold seeping in.

However any reside of heat in the house was lost during the day, only the coldest day of the winter so far….so by this morning the house was literally like a freezer.

By this morning, oh my gosh, the house was freezing. My client was starting to lose his core heat and was shivering uncontrollably despite the blankets and electric radiator and 3 layers of clothing. Desperate times.

By 9:30 when the oil delivery man arrived I could have kissed him! I didn’t but I did make him a cup of tea. Within an hour the heating is back up and the house is now toasty and we have both stopped shivering.

So today I am grateful for indoor heating.

I am also desperately sorry for the people who are sleeping rough and for the desperate souls trying to reach our shores in hopes of a better life. I often think of the refugees in France and the rest of Europe and my heart aches.